If You're Reading This
by Kiminator Mark XII
Summary: Songfic. Mai receives a letter and learns that her husband has been taken by the most unfortunate circumstances. Oneshot. COMPLETE.


**A/N:** Just so you know, my last one had a lot of song, and I hope this one is a lot better! Thanks to all of my reviewers, even though the story could've been better! Like I said before, I'm new at this so please no flamers. Thanks again to my wonderful beta, 3VAD127.

**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own Avatar, or the song _If You're Reading This._

* * *

Mai rolled over from her stomach to her side for about the fiftieth time that night. She longed to roll over onto her stomach but knew she couldn't.

"Your daddy was supposed to be here over an hour ago," she said to her huge belly, concern edging her voice.

Mai was seven months pregnant, and she had been waiting for her husband, Fire Lord Zuko. He had gone to war with his troops, even though he could have stayed at the palace. Mai sighed. He had promised her that he would be home tonight at 10:00 P.M. It was almost 1:00 A.M.

Mai heard a faint knock on the door, and she looked up hopefully. Mai swung her feet out of the bed and got up quickly. Too quickly. Dizzily, Mai headed for the door.

"Got to remember not to do that," she muttered to herself. Mai flung open the door to find not her husband, but a royal messenger.

"The Fire Sages wanted me to give this to you. They said it was from the Fire Lord," the messenger said, a little nervously.

The messenger bowed as Mai closed the door in his face. He had given her a letter, and she quickly tore it open with one of her fingernails.

"Oh, no!" she cried as she read the first part.

_If you're reading this,_

_My mamma's sittin' there_

_Looks like I only got a one way ticket over here,_

"What did he mean by that?" Mai mumbled to herself, "...a funeral? Not his funeral!" a wave of panic washed over Mai. She felt like throwing up. Trying to ignore the feeling, she quickly read on.

_I sure wish I _

_Could give you one more kiss,_

_War was just a game we played when we were kids_

Mai choked back sobs. She remembered that well. It was usually when Azula was being a jerk (which she pretty much was all of the time), and when Ty Lee was off doing cartwheels or whatever. Usually she and Zuko would find themselves alone for one reason or another. Zuko would ask if she wanted to play war, and she would just shrug boredly. Then he would do a cute pout, and she just couldn't decline. Mai smiled just thinking about it; he was so sweet back then. Not that he wasn't sweet now, he was just sweet in a different way.

Mai jerked herself out of her pleasant memories to read the next part.

_I'm laying down my gun, _

_Hanging up my boots_

_Tell Dad I don't regret that I followed in his shoes_

"Wait, whose dad?" Mai said out loud, more to hear _something _in the silent room than just _nothing_. "Oh, yeah," Mai again said out loud, " Zuko had started calling Uncle 'Dad' after the invasion." They had joined the Avatar, and killed Fire Lord Ozai. Thus making Zuko the Fire Lord. Meanwhile, what was left of the Earth Kingdom rebelled and started another war. This was the war that Zuko was fighting in. Again, Mai forced herself to look down at the letter.

_(chorus)_

_Lay me down,_

_In that open field out on the edge of town,_

_And know my soul _

_Is where my mamma always prayed that it would go_

_If you're reading this,_

_I'm already home_

A tear slipped down her face and hit the page. Quickly, she wiped it off. It left a smudge. She sighed in frustration as two more slid down and hit the letter. She tried to read on to the next part, but tears blurred her vision. Mai wiped them from her eyes and read on.

_If you're reading this,_

_Halfway around the world, _

_I won't be there to see the birth of our little girl_

Mai looked down at her huge stomach. Tears welled up in her eyes. Mai tried to stifle a few sobs, but failing miserably, she let them fall freely. Mai sat crying on her bed for a few minutes until she could finally compose herself enough to read the last part.

_I hope she looks like you,_

_I hope she fights like me,_

_And stands up for the innocent and the weak_

_(chorus)_

A faint smile played across Mai's lips as she read the first line. All of the sudden sobs racked her body, as she realized the whole reason for the letter. He had written it to her on his death bed. The whole truth was, Zuko was dead. Her husband had been killed in the cursed thing that we call "war."


End file.
